Amplifying Identity in a Digital-First World
How do you amplify institutional identity in a digital-first world?
In September, Inside Higher Ed and Times Higher Education offered a dedicated forum, Hashtag Higher Ed, for higher education professionals in marketing and communications to unite in sharing best practice and strategies that amplify institutional identities in a digital-first world.
During the event, market-leading speakers and industry experts across the U.S. convened for conversations on the most common challenges in marketing, communications, branding and recruitment.
Margaret Simonis, vice president and dean for the School of Business at Western Governors University, and Malena Johnson, marketing director for the WGU School of Business, offered their expertise on this important topic during their session, “Branding in action: The 2024 transformation of the WGU School of Business.”
The insightful case study provided an overview of the 2024 brand journey of the School of Business at WGU – a national, online, nonprofit university. This session explored the strategic initiatives, which launched in February and shaped the branding effort, including a series of in-person events with key stakeholders in major cities nationwide.
Simonis and Johnson highlighted several key learnings from the branding initiative, including:
- Integration and Consistency – Integrate brand messaging across all channels – web site, content, social media, events, product marketing and media interviews to strengthen awareness building.
- Internal Collaboration: A successful brand initiative requires collaboration with all internal stakeholders, ranging from government relations to regional marketing teams.
- Stay the Course: A successful brand initiative requires a long-term commitment to build the brand over time, with target audiences and markets.
“What’s most important is to stay committed to our stakeholders and communities over the long term,” Simonis said. “Only through sustained engagement can we create authentic, lasting connections that make a meaningful impact.”
